Customer Reviews

The God of Hell

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am now feeling very thankful for the existence of Sam Shepard. Here is someone aware and in touch with the current state of American pseudo-Patriotism, and it's appropriation of the essentials of American "values."

Frank and Emma are Wisconsin farmers, raising cattle all alone in the Heartland. Though Frank has taken in an old friend, Haynes and let him stay in the basement. After Haynes arrives, Welch shortly appears, full of eerie entitlement, red, white and blue cookies, American flags galore and a suspicion of Haynes presence. Much to the chagrin of Emma, Welch thinks nothing of the house, the front door, the property and the conventions of any social etiquette (i.e. civil liberties). Haynes meanwhile is on edge and frightened at the static charges he emits when touched, the mention of an institution from which he recently left and The God of Hell.

What The God of Hell is I'll not mention, but the implications of the government, specifically the Bush Administration's willingness to advocate torture, the heightened disregard of the common man and his home, and the insanity of nuclear production and the decimation our own land are thick and clear.

Shepard has created a swift one act, three scenes, in one setting, a kitchen/living room of Frank and Emma's home, which itself radiates a tension of menace and: "We're suddenly stung by our duty to a higher purpose. Our natural loyalties fall in line and we're amazed how simple it is to honor out one true heritage."

While it cannot compare with Shepard's other works, i.e. 'Buried Child' or 'True West', it is still a great play. I picked it up one evening and simply couldn't put it down. A dark comedy that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I am a republican and do not agree with the ties this play makes with the Bush Adminstration, but I think this play is about the dangers of an ill-informed public and abused power, even though the play was written to reflect present day politics. No matter what your political affiliation may be, there is something in this play for everyone.

I liked the play so much, I talked a producer into making it

happen on stage at the Community College of Southern Nevada, Las

Vegas. We're having a lot of fun in rehearsals with THE GOD OF

HELL! But be warned, this play is NOT suited for everybody's

taste!!!

This play by renowned playright Sam Shepard was entertaining enough. However, it's anti-war political agenda was too obvious and not enough to vault this play to a lasting level of literary greatness. All that aside though, the storyline carries the reader/viewer along and reads fast enough that it might be worth picking up.

-- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

I was really looking forward to reading this play because the title sounded so great. This play has a silly plot and asinine characters. I am so happy that this play is short because if it would have taken me a long time to read I would have been really unhappy with the time that I lost to reading this play. If you really want to read a good play then read Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg.